A preliminary response from the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference to the proposed Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill 2013 had criticized the bill on several grounds. Among their concerns they raise the issue of freedom of conscience:
The Bill also appears to impose a duty on Catholic hospitals to provide abortions. This would be totally unacceptable and has serious implications for the existing legal and Constitutional arrangements that respect the legitimate autonomy and religious ethos of faith-based institutions. It would also pose serious difficulties for the conscientious beliefs of many citizens. [Full statement]
The protection of conscience measure in the bill does not apply to hospitals or other institutions, denominational or otherwise.